THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7
GO-GO'S The 1980s' best all-female pop band (sorry Bangles fans) should have no problem working the crowd into a frenzy with chipper new wave classics like "We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "Vacation." (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
RED ROOM CINEMA w/BUILDING THE STATE/INERTIA Purveyors of visceral, indie prog-rock, Tampa's Red Room Cinema released a potent self-titled album last summer, but the quintet is at its best on stage. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
I AM THE PILOT w/HOLIDAY PARADE/THERE FOR TOMORROW Poughkeepsie, N.Y., five-piece I Am The Pilot recently released its debut album, Crashing Into Consciousness, an agreeable albeit generic emo offering. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
JONY JAMES The Buffalo-born bluesman cut his teeth in Chi-town, where he looked to Kings B.B. and Albert and J.B. Hutto for his self-coined brand of "survival blues." Backed by a tight rhythm section, James is as respected for his deft playing as he is for resisting self-indulgent ax-wanking, both in the studio and on the road. (Aces Lounge, Bradenton) —Amanda Schurr
PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE All the Floyd fans waiting for Waters and Gilmour to break down their respective walls and reunite will want to check out the PFX. Bandleader/guitarist Tom Quinn, lead vocalist Graham Heath and company perform such favorites as "Wish You Were Here" and "Money" with all the requisite visual flourish: laser lights, inflatable pigs, abstract filmstrips of eyes and airplanes — oh, and a few extended saxophone solos, too. (Lakeland Center Youkey Theatre, Lakeland) —Jason Kushner
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8
KENNY LATTIMORE AND CHANTÉ MOORE A smooth singer with the looks to match, Lattimore had a nice string of slickly produced R&B hits in the '90s, but only "For You" crossed over to the pop Top 40. His wife, Chanté Moore, was a mainstay on the R&B charts at the same time, with her biggest hit, the bluesy 1999 ballad "Chanté's Got A Man" peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. The couple has joined forces in recent years, touring together and releasing duet albums like 2006's double-disc Uncovered/Covered. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND This Colorado-based quartet has become a major player on the jam-band circuit thanks to its Phish-informed brand of bluegrass. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
TED LUKAS AND THE DISTRACTIONS w/MEMPHIS SLOW TRAIN One of Tampa Bay's leading alt-country artists, Ted Lukas went on hiatus from his band Hangtown to record the impressive, power-pop-leaning solo album, Misled, which came out Feb. 5. (Kelly's Pub, Tampa)
SCOTT H. BIRAM w/THE DEAD POPES Possessing a striking voice indebted to the likes of Howlin' Wolf and Tom Waits, Bloodshot recording artist Scott H. Biram plays acoustic junkyard blues goosed with a healthy dose of cow-punk. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
DOUGIE MACLEAN WMNF brings to town this celebrated Scottish folk singer known for his delicate vocals and emotive songs that capture the bucolic beauty of his Highlands-area home. (Palladium Theatre, St. Petersburg)
DAMON FOWLER GROUP w/AUTOMATIC HEAT Fowler returns to his old stomping grounds for another night of inspired blues, rock and honky-tonk. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
DJ STARSCREAM w/EMPIRE X/SNO/G ROC/SYNTHETIC NATURE/PSYCHODELIK/MAINFRAME/J-RYDER/SPINDLE/AFTERDEATH One of the more distinctive bills to hit the local scene in recent memory, this multi-act lineup features an eclectic mix of metal bands and electronica artists. Headliner DJ Starscream is probably best known as #(0) — the letter-less moniker he uses when lending his considerable turntable skills to the alt-metal band Slipknot. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9
DEX ROMWEBER DUO Long before The White Stripes introduced the scrappy rock duo approach to the masses, Dex Romweber led a similar electric guitar and manic drums assault with his rockabilly-punk twosome, Flat Duo Jets. An influential act that emerged from the vibrant Athens, Ga., scene of the mid-'80s, the Jets split shortly after their lone major-label release, 1998's Lucky Eye, failed to meet sales expectations. Dex's post-Jets career kicked into gear when he signed with Yep Roc and issued the critically lauded 2004 album Blues That Defy My Soul. Dex now performs with his sister, acclaimed drummer Sara Romweber (Mitch Easter, Let's Active). This event at the Beach Theatre starts at 8 p.m. with a screening of the captivating, if at times discomforting, documentary about Dex's crazy life and times titled Two Headed Cow. The movie pairs Jets footage from 1986 with recent interviews that find Dex speaking candidly about his self-destructive ways and insecurities. There's also a backstage scene where Jack White cites Romweber as "a huge influence" and "one of the best kept secrets of the rock 'n' roll underground." After the screening, Dex will do a Q&A followed by a Dex Romweber Duo concert. Highly recommended. (Beach Theatre, St. Petersburg)
DAME KIRI TE KANAWA We don't get a whole lot of great opera 'round these parts, so it is a pleasant surprise to see that Te Kanawa, one of the world's best-known sopranos, has a stop here on her "farewell" tour. That description is one given by promoters of this recital tour and one that the New Zealander isn't fond of; while she has retired from the opera stage, she says she isn't planning on drying up and dying any time soon. That doesn't mean she'll come back to Tampa, though, so opera fans shouldn't dally. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Carol Morsani Hall, Tampa) —Wayne Garcia
BAND OF HORSES SubPop's Band of Horses — formed in Seattle, now based in South Carolina — bring their folksy brand of American indie-rock down to the Sunshine State. Singer/songwriter Ben Bridwell and cohorts Creighton Barrett, Rob Hampton and Joe Arnone are making the rounds promoting Cease to Begin — their latest album, released last year. In 2006, these bearded bandmates were nominated for the Shortlist Music Prize along with acts like Tom Waits, Joanna Newsom and Cat Power. (The Social, Orlando) —JK
DUB CONSCIOUS This six-piece reggae outfit from Athens, Ga., generally avoids fusing different genres into its laid-back style of roots/dub/Afrobeat music, which is augmented by uplifting, socially conscious lyrics. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —Leilani Polk
JAZZ JUVENOCRACY Given the young age of these six players — 13.8 years young — their burgeoning chops are nothing short of impressive. (Keep an ear out for drummer Rodney Roques, in particular — the kid is on it.) The Juvie's do swing, funk, R&B and, duh, jazz, tackling everything from Dizzy Gillespie to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with an enthusiasm that excuses yet another cover of "Brick House." They're recording their first release this month — catch 'em live and witness a work in progress. (Metro Coffee & Wine, Sarasota) —AS
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10
THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS A popular (yet reviled by purists) folk group akin to the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul & Mary, The New Christy Minstrels enjoyed success in '62 with a peppy interpretation of the Woody Guthrie anthem "This Land Is Your Land." 1965's schlocky cover of the Mary Poppins-spawned tune "Chim Chim Cher-ee" would be the group's final pop chart entry. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11
AMY SPEACE Signed to Judy Collins' Wildflower label, Speace is a plucky singer/songwriter who dabbles in country, folk, rock and pop. Her latest album, Songs for Bright Street, features the uptempo roots-rocker "The Real Thing." (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
RYAN BINGHAM A welcome newcomer to the alt-country scene, this Texas singer/songwriter has a craggy voice that cuts to the core on downhearted tales like "South Side of Heaven." It's just one of many compelling songs on Bingham's debut album, Mescalito, which recently came out on Lost Highway Records. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
TOMMY CASH The Man in Black's kid brother had a bunch of hits in the 1970s, starting the decade off with the release of his most famous tune, "Six White Horses." But this show will be all about the legendary sibling. "My Brother, Johnny Cash: A Musical Tribute by Tommy Cash and The Cash Crew Band," reads the promo material. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12
QUEENSRYCHE Just as grunge started to dominate the scene, Queensryche came along and scored an unlikely No. 1 hit with the proggy, Pink Floyd-esque "Silent Lucidity." The band is currently touring in support of Take Cover, which features its versions of songs by Queen, Black Sabbath and — you guessed it — Pink Floyd. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
JAY & THE AMERICANS This group, which had a solid run of hits in the '60s, recently performed at Ruth Eckerd Hall, so there's basically two reasons to attend this show: a) You missed 'em the first time and are devastated; b) You really, really love Jay & the Americans, and need to hear "Come a Little Bit Closer," "Cara Mia," "This Magic Moment" et al yet again. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo) —Eric Snider
This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2008.